Time Crisis: The Fall RE
by Qin W.X
Summary: Where it all began, it shall be ended by the one who started it all.
1. Prologue

Time Crisis The Fall Re

Casts: Various Time Crisis characters

Prologue: The world where they are today

 _'_ _Oh, Mr. Holmes, I would love to tell you, but then, of course, I'd have to kill you.'_

Knowledge is power. To know is to enslave others in this world of espionage. This universe is populated by gritty secrets that one has to pay a dearest price to uncover the darkest truth concerning the life of one and another, sometimes be in a group of people or worse, a nation.

One of the most remarkable war of spies dates back during the Cold War period when information played a life-and-death role in determining the victor of two superpower nations in their foolish race of nuclear weapons. Agents- people who are leading a double life for their selfish contender, living in between the righteous way of plain citizens and cold blooded shady world, were mass produced like hot toys from their own factory.

Cold mechanical hazards, made with devilish intentions from nevertheless of warring sides, were waiting inside anonymous dark rooms to serve singular wicked purpose of extracting information out of the mouth from every apprehended agent in their enemy hands. With every inflicted pain pushing their body and mind into limit, it is just a matter of time until any of them breaks-or both as the captive maintain their captive's demand sealed shut.

So much agents blood spilled like open water tap, many bodies were wasted like food had left unsettling tragic marks of the end of The Cold War hidden in the shadows and unknown by the upstanding citizens. To prevent the tragic history in the covert universe from repeating itself in the same cycle, the world finally came to a secret agreement that unity must exist in all secret agency branches without exception. Thus, it marked the birth of the top secret international Vital Situation Swift Elimination intelligence agency. The agency is so secretive and fictional to the younger espionage generations. Borders and protocols are irrelevant to the agency recruitment. But only some younger spy generations who proved their worth to be deserved to know the so called VSSE's existence are given a top secret security clearance called the Eyes-Only.

Should somebody drunken in their foolish ambition to disturb the balance of the world, as the fictional agency's name suggests, VSSE will eliminate those fools in no time. The first agent to be deployed into the field dates back in 1996 who goes by the codename of 'Angel', real name is Richard Miller. The one-man army agent was tasked to rescue the president of Sercia's daughter from a dictator who was overthrown by the people of Sercia before kidnapping happened. Serudo Garo also hired a private force lead by Wild Dog to help him ensure the success of his demand. The deadline is to force president Mac Pherson to resign from his presidency before the sunset of the next day of the demand. With such crisis situation happened in Sercia, the incident is known as Time Crisis in the agency. There are a total of 79 casualties in Sercia, including a Russian Kasatnov attack helicopter and Sherudo Garo's body was confirmed by the clean up crews.

However, Wild Dog's body was not found.

3 months later after Time Crisis incident, VSSE interrupted a secret message of which was coming from a smuggler. The smuggler is known as Kantaris, who is suspected as Wild Dog's arms supplier. The agency also believed that Wild Dog is still alive and making contact with Kantaris group and once again Richard Miller was deployed in another covert ops to disband Kantaris group in hotel Chataeu De Lux in France. The operation goes by the name of Time Crisis: Project Titan took a total of 77 casualties from Kantaris group and Wild Dog's private army and 4 stolen armored battle units from German by Kantaris group were single handedly disarmed by Richard in combat during the operation. With the escape of Kantaris by air, the mission was deemed as the first failure in VSSE's history.

Again, Wild Dog's body was not found by the clean up crews.

Following Richard Miller's failure in disbanding Kantaris Network group, he was revoked from his position as a field agent and transferred into Human Resource department. There, he is responsible to train more younger and prominent agents for the field division. In addition, Richard Miller authorized the deployment of Christie Ryan, VSSE's first female agent onto the field to investigate Starline Network satellite of Neodyne Industries, the world's leading communication corporation. It turned out that Starline Network satellite is a nuclear satellite capable of firing a laser from the outer space with a huge percentage of accuracy. Before Christie Ryan could pass this information to VSSE, she was held captive by Ernesto Diaz, CEO of Neodyne Industries. Keith Martin and Robert Baxter, the first most prominent pair of agents trained under Richard Miller was sent in response to Christie Ryan's captive as well as destroying Starline Network. The mission was labeled as Time Crisis 2.

In Keith Martin's After Action Report, it was stated that there are a total of 56 confirmed kills from the duo, 3 destroyed armored vehicles, 2 destroyed Starline Network military satellites and Ernesto Diaz was included in the kill count. The report also mentioned that the pair engaged in combat with Wild Dog, with Wild Dog eventually detonated himself.

Yet there was no trace of Wild Dog's remains.

In 1999, one year after Time Crisis 2's mission, Garland Corporation set up a grand living properties in London. The properties were seized one day before it's grand opening by United Resistance Defence Army terrorist group lead by a defecting General Derrick Lynch. General Derrick Lynch was plotting to launch a nuke 5km beneath Garland Square, where is England's nuclear black site unknown to Garland Corporation nor many of the British. In response to the dire situation, the Scotland Yard collaborates with VSSE to establish VSSE's first covert strike force consist of special trained soldiers from all military branches in the world and Special Tactic Force was born. Lead by a SAS operative, Claude Mc Garren lead S.T.F to liberate Garland Square. The operation was later known as Crisis Zone in which took a total of 138 hostile lives, 10 armored vehicles, 2 URDA generals and Derrick Lynch.

Despite the liberation was a success, S.T.F lost 23 men from 50 men.

Zero contact with Wild Dog occurred during Crisis Zone operation.

Keith Martin and Robert Baxter were promoted as senior field agents in 2000. They assist Richard Miller in his duty in training as well as recruiting more agents and soldiers into the agency.

Following after the events of Time Crisis 2 and Crisis Zone, under Richard Miller's order, VSSE set up a new SOP where at least a pair of field agents working as a team in a mission. A new policy coming from the director was also added to have all field agents to carry at least an additional weapon beside their assigned covert pistol to ensure the success of an op. The new SOPs were soon approved in no time before 2002 when Zagorias Army lead by Giorgio Zott attempted a coup in Lukano island in Mediterranian. The army soon occupied 80% of the territory and slaughtered every citizen they found. Alicia Winston and Daniel Winston, natives of Lukano island were tasked to gather intel for the Lukano island's resistance group. Upon a report of Daniel Winston was captured by Zagorias Army during the operation and his execution time reached VSSE's HQ, VSSE sent 2 backup agents by the name of Alan Dunaway and Wesley Lambert to assist Lukano resistance group and rescue Daniel Winston from his execution. The event was labeled as Time Crisis 3 which took 145 lives of Zagorian Army, 213 Lukano island residences, 77 Lukano island resistance and Giorgio Zott was found dead with gunshot wounds from Alan and Wesley's final showdown in that island.

In Alicia Winston's After Action Report, she stated that the trio encountered Wild Dog and his associate who goes by the name of Wild Fang during their rescue mission. Alan and Wesley engaged in combat with Wild Dog and Wild Fang and the Wild pair eventually detonated themselves in their loss.

Again, no sign of Wild pair's bodies found by the clean-up crews.

Under Richard Miller's command, VSSE's set up a new RnD teams specializing in uncovering the mystery of Wild Dog and Wild Fang's disappearance.

VSSE's network keeps on expanding throughout the entire world. In 2006, it has more than 53 branches set up globally. More than 100 agents and soldiers from various branches across the world were recruited and trained under Keith Martin, Robert Baxter, Richard Miller and Claude Mc Garren's supervisors. At the middle of the year of 2006, William Rush from the U.S Army division reported a bio weapon code named as Terror Bite was on the loose in California. The bio weapon which utilized insect as a medium of attack is capable to spread various diseases with an effective controlling range of 800 meters while the pandemonium range is 1-2 kilometers. With William Rush's Intel, the weapon's exchange place took in California Airport, the agency deployed Giorgio Bruno and Evan Bernard to intercept the deal.

However, they were too late. The weapon's transaction was done. As soon as the pair arrived, they were ambushed by European terrorist group known as WOLF. Those agents were saved by William Rush, who was also on site and the three of them retreated from the airport via a battle chopper sent by Elizabeth Conway, an operator who was responsible for the trio's intel from air.

The trio learnt the person who was responsible for the whole chaos is a former Delta Force known as Gregory Barrows, who are diagnosed with mental breakdown during his service in Iraq and attempted to use Terror Bite to attack America due to personal hatred reasons.

The 4th incident of Time Crisis is the mission with the biggest collateral damage happened all over in Florida. The total loss is estimated more than 89 million US Dollar, more than 368 civilians were injured while 143 were dead from the bio attack. Even with S.T.F combined with Florida response teams, there were 17 loss from S.T.F units, 28 police officers and 15 paramedics were reported K.I.A. Nevertheless, Giorgio Bruno, Evan Bernard and William Rush with the help of S.T.F and Florida response teams, together they took down the whole WOLF units from air and land.

Gregory Barrows were confirmed K.I.A. Cause of death by multiple gunshots of 9mm.

The last page of Time Crisis 4 report written by Elizabeth Conway also stated that the trio fought the Wild pair during their mission. The three of them confirmed that the Wild pair blew themselves in their loss just like the past Time Crisis missions.

Yet no trace of Wild pair's remnants were found on site.

5 years later, following Time Crisis 4's incident, the director of VSSE instructed Claude Mc Garren to form another strike force apart from S.T.F with an overwhelming firepower equipments. Albeit there was a disagreement from Claude and Richard upon the idea due to the various reasons, one of them regarding to the number of collateral damage, the new strike force was formed in no time. The new strike force is later to be referred as S.C.A.R (Special Combat And Rescue) units. The unit was put into test in operation Razing Storm in South America when Paulo Guerra lead a group of renegade soldiers and militias in a revolution to attack the United States.

One of the VSSE agents who were sent during operation Razing Storm to gather intel reported that Paulo Guerra purchased weapons from Kantaris Network. The group supplied him with 8 Mac Battle Power Suits, 10 Raptor Unmanned Vehicle Robots, 3 Kraken Walker of which armed with 8 Plasma Cutters and 8 machine guns each on it's tentacles, 1 Tarantula unmanned robot (Of which the upgraded version of Tarantula that Richard Miller disarmed during operation Time Crisis: Project Titan) and a F200 Morning Hawk, of which a newly version of F117 Night Hawk.

Armed with state of the art F3000 Battle Rifle, Hellfire Quadzooka, Spaz Cluster Shotgun, AWM sniper rifle and 2 laser guns, the mayhem in Operation Razing Storm cost a total of 17 billion US Dollar loss of collateral damage in which pushed the economy of U.S down to the red line. To make matter worse, despite there were a total of 236 lives were claimed by the S.C.A.R units including Paulo Guerro himself, 8 civilians were added into the death tolls.

After Mac Windham together with Alpha units, refused their order to return to base in order to rescue Bravo units who were in a pinch fighting the remaining Paulo Guerra's armies, despite their success in rescuing 7 remaining of Bravo Units, the Alpha units were disbanded from S.C.A.R. Below are the lists of the disbanded Alpha units:

1\. Mac Windham, leader of Alpha units, US Army sergeant

2\. Shin Tozawa, Sniper of Alpha units, US Marine

3\. Kirk Dirkson, Field Tech, US Navy SEALs

4\. Alpha One, All rounder of Alpha units, (UNKNOWN)

5\. Alpha Two, All rounder of Alpha units, (UNKNOWN)

6\. Jack Mc Gyvern, Field Medic, British SAS

7\. Tommy Russell, Comm Tech, GIGN

8\. Wong Fei Hong, Rescue Specialist, Taiwan Officer SWATs

9\. Kurt Tarantino, Driver, GIGN

10\. David Hayter Jr., Demolition, US Delta Force

Operation Razing Storm reported that negative contact with Wild Dog nor Wild Fang occurred during operation.

Following the failure of S.C.A.R, Claude Mc Garren attempted to disband the strike unit. Instead, he was disbanded from S.T.F and VSSE and returned to SAS.

In 2015, the agency made a new policy where agents must be trained both in close quarter and long range combat to minimize the potential loss. When Keith Martin and Robert Baxter engaged in a friendly match in front of their recruits with real swords, an incident happened where Keith lost one of his eye by Robert and was in grave danger due to the wound.

Since then, the two agents' relationship went south. Upon Keith's discharge from the hospital, he went AWOL. Despite the agency had searched for him, there was no trace of Keith Martin until he surfaced in 2016 when an incident happened in the agency. An internal auditor successfully trailed a traitor amongst VSSE who sold VSSE's intels to terrorist groups was found murdered in her apartment.

The electronic briefcase contained the traitor's identity was set to auto-format in 60 hours after her death as a fail-safe which somehow ended in Wild Dog's hands who demanded a ransom of 1 billion US Dollar for the briefcase.

The news caused an uproar amongst the agency and Robert Baxter, Luke O'Neil and Marc Godart were tasked to retrieve the electronic briefcase under the operation of Time Crisis 5. Prior of the operation, Luke O'Nei and Marc Godart were injected with a serum by the agency in which granted them superhuman speed and heightened senses for a period of 24 hours.

The negotiation did not go well. Wild Dog escaped from the negotiation site with the briefcase. Luke and Marc attempted a pursuit of Wild Dog. They managed to defeat Wild Dog in no time but the briefcase was ejected from Wild Dog in his loss into a jungle 18 kilometers from his position before he detonated himself for the fifth time.

VSSE sent Catherine Ricci to arrange transport for the trio agents. They cut through the freeway into the forest in no time and discovered a hidden military base in the deep jungle. They snuck their way in, only to find Keith Martin was attempting to crack the briefcase. Robert, aided by Luke and Marc engaged Keith in combat. In his desperate final moment, Keith's attempt of cracking the briefcase finally bear fruit as it somehow automatically unlocked to expose the true traitor in the agency's ranks at the same time saving his life from Luke and Marc's bullets.

The electronic briefcase exposed that Robert Baxter is the mole in VSSE. Not only that he sold VSSE's intel to the various terrorist groups, but also weapons and the nano machines injected to Luke and Marc's body in exchange for a group of Private Forces working under him with their base set up exactly the trio combat Keith. Upon the exposure, Robert fled to the deeper section of the base while triggering an alarm which alerted all of his troops.

Fighting their way to Robert, the trio encountered Wild Fang engaged in combat. Before Luke and Marc could make a confirmed kill, Wild Fang once again detonated himself in his loss.

It was reported in Luke O'Neil's AAR, that Robert was possessing a military nuclear satellite, in which shared the similarities with Ernesto Diaz's military nuclear satellite that Robert utilized to aid him in combat with Luke and Marc. The satellite was totally destroyed when Catherine Ricci collided a chopper onto the satellite.

In Time Crisis 5's incident, there were a total of 92 confirmed kills including Robert Baxter and 1 nuclear military satelite. Cause of death: 2 gunshots on chest. His body along with the remnants of nuclear military satellite were successfully retrieved together in the bottom of the ocean. Zero casualties coming from the agency.

Like Wild Dog, Wild Fang's body was never been found until this day.

Keith Martin was discharged upon his return to the agency to carry out his sentence despite his aid for Luke and Mark during their mission. He returned to his cover life as a stunt double. Following Keith's discharge, Alan Dunaway, Wesley Lambert, William Rush and Evan Bernard were promoted as senior agents and responsible to train more VSSE's recruits whilst William Rush is tasked to drill VSSE's strike force.

Two years later, Richard Miller was dishonorably discharged from the agency. Cause of discharge is unknown.

* * *

 **In case if you are wondering what kind of stupid writer who forgot to write a prologue, then you are reading the correct writer. Bravo. Anyway, there's a slight change of plan. One last chapter (Of which is Chapter 2) from this fic, I consider this fic is over.**


	2. Chapter 1

**I do not own Time Crisis. The franchises and the original stories belong to Namco. I only own this fic and some of the characters. This is a rewrite of Time Crisis The Fall of which I deleted. Enjoy.**

* * *

Time Crisis: The Fall RE

Chapter 1 casts:

Richard Miller (Time Crisis 1)

Wild Dog (Time Crisis series)

Kantaris (Time Crisis Project Titan from PS 1)

Wild Dog's bouncers

Wild Dog's PFs

Kantaris' body guards

Young bartender

Nevada Police Department

* * *

Chapter 1: Fallen Angel

It was just another weekend night at whore house known as the Pig Pen somewhere in Nevada. The house provided a stage that was swarmed by men, right at the center of the main hall where dancers performed their annual sensational dance to satisfy men's carnal lust for cheap women whose values could be negotiated with the green papers. A young bartender was tending a customer's drink behind the bar, whilst eyeing skeptically his customer from the corner of his eyes at the same time.

"Aren't you too old for this place, old man?"

The old man replied with a grunt. He checked his watch before accepting his liquor, then leveling it above his eyes seemingly to admire the alcoholic beverage. Turning out that the clear fluids secretly reflecting an elder with a shady eyewear walking into the house together with 2 muscular men, apparently they were the elder's bodyguards or something.

Right about the time.

The elder disappeared into the second floor whilst his bouncers guarded the stairs. The old man brought the cool acidic liquor into his mouth. A warm sensation steaming within his body upon the alcoholic beverage entered his throat, then disappeared when it travelled down to his stomach.

"Not as old as you think, kid." The old man placed 2 pieces of bills onto the table.

"Whatever, old man."

The old man walked from the bar. Despite time had brutalized the old man, he survived the cruelty known as aging. It was shown from his walking posture that still able to walk tall just like when he was younger. Though black circles formed underneath his eyes, they were beaming with spirit and determination like a child.

The old man was halted by one of the elder's guards upon reaching the stairs in a bouncer's way. The old man tried to reason. It did not work. Instead, he was pushed down to the cold concrete floor.

The old man slowly got onto his feet, brushing his pants and once again politely asked for a passage. If was not because of consent, the young bartender would not have hauled himself from behind of the bar to prevent those brutes from sending the old man to the ICU.

The young bartender was stopped on the middle of his track for he just witnessed something bizarre unfolded right in front of his eyes. When one of the men let loose of his fist, the old man caught intercepted his fist with an arm and caught him off by surprise. Before the owner of the fist could react, the old man launched a punch right onto his assailant's stomach.

"What the fu…"

The curse was utterly silenced when the old man clenched the mouth of the elder's second guard and drove his head to the wall behind him. The sudden powerful blunt impact coming from the back of the second guard's head instantly knocked him out cold. The old man let go of his hand and the limped body slumped down to the floor. The old man was about to leave the first guard in agony when the bartender called him.

"Watch out!"

The first guard pulled out a concealed gun. Before the firearm could be trained at the old man, the side-bottom of the old man's palm found it's place on the guard's neck. The guard dropped onto the floor and joined his friend with heads touching each other as though they were lovers.

The old man did not have time to admire his mess. Time was ticking. He brought his legs to descend to the dimly lit second floor where the person of his fixation disappeared somewhere in any of the multiple aligned doors on the hallways. The old man closed his eyes and focusing his hearings. He heard loud techno music coming from the first floor rocking the house as hard as the people in this floor moving their hips upward and downward with their genitals interconnected with their assigned female partners, whose programmed moaning only meant as a lip service to their customers' pathetic sexual performances.

The old man's attention shifted to one door at the end of the hall, which shared no similarities to the noises on this floor. The old man treaded his steps not wanting to raise suspicion toward whomever behind the door. He overheard a conversation. Though faint, the old man was ascertain that there were 2 people conversing inside the room. Knowing the elder very well, the old man instantly recognized the voice belonged to his sworn enemy was behind that door.

But who was the other voice then? It was a woman for sure, yet what was a woman doing with a world's renowned fugitive whom survived since the old man's prime time? Furthermore, his instinct told him that there were additional presences within, but not more than 5 in total. The old man guessed those additional presences, either the elder or the woman's bodyguard, were packing and better than the elder's grunts he took care of.

The old man moved his hand to feel the metal of his gun strapped on his waist. The icy piece had claimed lives more than his age and offered feeling of secure to him. Leveling the safety off, the old man shifted onto the left side of the entrance.

Cocking the gun, the old man's breathing became unusually slow…and calm before the bloody showdown unfolded before him. A flash of memory projected deep inside his mind where he saw a prominent battle hardened youngster from the U.S Marine snuck into a private island. His objective was simple: To be a hero and rescue the damsel in distress held captive by a group of militia kidnappers whom demanded a huge ransom for the beauty. Armed only by a covert operative pistol, the same gun which the old man was holding at the very moment, what had become a stealthy approach soon turned to be fiery dogfight in just a matter of seconds. It was an undeniable fact that one by all means could not survive against numbers.

But the youngster proved it otherwise. He kept moving- only stopping for a purpose to stabilize his breathing, adapting, and improvising with the situation to shoot his way out of the swarming private armies and ninjas.

Especially ninjas.

He eventually came to toe with the perpetrator. Their duel only lasted within a second. Because, when it began, instead of using gun, the perpetrator threw a knife at a frontal assault at the young operative. Of course, not only that the youngster was able to elude the knife easily, but also putting a bullet through that bloody idiot at the same time.

The fight with the perpetrator was like brushing the tip of an iceberg. And like any heroic tales, the youngster made his sworn enemy on the perpetrator's right hand, of whom none other than the elder that the old man was chasing at the current time.

It was the fiercest dogfight ever happened in the century. The adrenaline fight lasted from one man against another chasing each other to an open field with less protective objects from the wild bullets flying in the sky, then onto a cliff where the death welcomed it's jaw to the youngster in a form of a milita helicopter. Nevertheless, the youngster managed to shut death's jaw with multiple careful placed shots coming from his firearm through the chopper cockpit. With bullets found their places onto the pilot's body, the giant bird crashed onto the cliff, then a red cloud bloomed and tossing the youngster backwards.

The youngster was heavily injured from the explosion impact. He was weary and bloody. Yet he refused to let go of his gun nor giving into the excruciating pain as the gunfight was far from over until one of them was dead. Like any villain described in exaggerating stories, the perpetrator's right hand emerged from the chopper's remain with the damsel on his one arm. The other arm holding a portable explosive as the perpetrator's right hand was making his last desperate stand.

It happened so fast that the old man could not remember the details anymore. One thing for sure, the youngster somehow managed to crack a shot that sending the perpetrator's right hand flying back to the cliff, during the motion the youngster sprung his legs to catch the damsel and pull her into his safe embrace, following with another orange bloom knocking the heaven's door.

A happy ending waiting for both of the heroic youngster and the damsel he rescued from the villains. But he opted otherwise, for the youngster had a premonition- an instinct telling that the perpetrator's right hand was still alive, serving somebody who paid him and his private army handsomely for rotten causes somewhere out there and threatening the balance of this world. And it crossed his mind, if he couldn't fight his sworn enemy anymore, the youngster just had to train younger generations in the agency who were more agile, stronger and more brilliant in mind in comparison with this current old coot to battle his sworn enemy for the balance of this world. And the youngster/old man did it.

Nevertheless, no matter how many times his prized disciples successfully defeated his sworn enemy, he just sprung back to life like a cockroach.

The memory light faded, but it left the old man with the exact expression that the youngster inside his mind used to wear. The expression somehow rejuvenated the old man back to his younger self where he was fearless and flawless stone cold espionage agent. The old man inhaled and exhaled in strengthening his resolve.

Time to tie up the loose strings.

The old man had the element of surprise coming when the wooden door violently opened. The adrenaline rush flowing into his brain enabled the old man to mark exactly 4 people inside the room just from a glance: The elder he was chasing, an old woman and 2 suited guards standing behind her. Two shots coming from the old man's pistol, both sending the old woman's guards flying backward to their oblivion from crashing the window behind them.

Something did not right. The old man was missing another presence in his view. His instinct never wronged him, not even once. However, age did dull his senses. The old man was expecting less that a man would emerge from the side of his left eye in to restrain him. He fell to his enemy's advantage. Both men were nailed at the spot struggling for control in contest of strength.

The elder, of whom was equal with the old man, making his recovery the moment his arch enemy was fighting for control. He leveled his right arm, turning out to be mechanical. What seemingly to be fingers were locked in a particular position resembling a tip of a gatling gun.

The deathly machine carried by the elder simply possessed by 2 intentions: self defence and revenge. It also alarming the old man for the upcoming danger in the next moment with quick repetitive whizz. If the old man could not win in a contest of strength, then he just had to overcome his opponent in strategy.

The old man swept the grappler, knocking him off balance from the small but quick and effective low strike. The old man preventing the fall by single handedly grabbed his assailant by his collar and raised his assailant in front of him. Scream of agony of the old man's grappler, loud buzzes and clanking brasses from the elder's mechanical arm rocking the entire room. The old man witnessing cruelly his assailant in a closure; who was no older than the age of 20-s; when multiple reds bloomed within his body like fireworks, his eyes snapped opened wide, life instantly flickered.

The dead body remained useful as the old man's meaty protection until the buzzes ended. It was cold heartedly discarded with no honor given like garbage, of which blood seeped into the wooden floor. 5 loud bangs lead by the old man continued the deadly symphony found their places on the elder's machinery arm. Sparks of electricity running across the mechanical arm, a small but less harmful explosion followed. The elder was knocked off ground and writing in pain. The tolerated pain soon turned to be an excruciating agony when the old man injured the elder's left hand with another shot.

"Richard Miller, I presume? It's been a long…time since we last fought on that island…and isn't this…an…irony? From all of the…VSSE agents…that you trained to hunt me down…it's you, my sworn enemy, who pull the shot? Well what are you waiting for? Do it!"

"I am not." The old man known as Richard Miller switched the safety on. "I am here for another purpose to offer you a contract, Wild Dog."

"Bullshit! After the stunt…that you pulled, you…want to offer me a job?! Forget it! 'Sides, I…don't do with…VSSE!"

"I apologize for my rude entrance, but I can assure you that my appearance at this place is strictly for personal business."

Wild Dog narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"I am all ears."

"I want to hire you and your PMC to take over VSSE's HQ, dispatched the director and my selective agents."

"You…crazy sunovabitch!" Wild Dog spat. "If you want to speed your death…don't drag…other people's…asses with you!"

"I thought you'd say that," Richard showed numerous pictures from his smart phone. "Then perhaps you'd reconsider your choice after seeing these."

"These…what in the God's name are these…things?"

"Well?"

"But still…I'll pass. Go find…another PFs or someone!"

"I am afraid no one can carry out my contract but your faction only. Payment for successful contract is all VSSE's assets, including their agents, weapons, vehicles, properties and money in all VSSE's bank account. You can make your dream PF with the reward. The upfront payment is 30 million US Dollar straight from my account."

"You stated…as if I…was going to accept…your contract. Likewise the risk…the upfront payment is…too much. Why…I should help you?"

"Consider this as redemption to your wronging in the past. And besides, time is ticking. In the next 25 days with an aggregate of 600 hours, we will be leaving this world for what we did in the past. Isn't it good if we can delay our time?"

"What…are you…talking about?"

"Put it simple, the director wants our head. As soon as those satellites were launched in space, they can shoot laser to eliminate whoever on VSSE's list without any need to send their agents onto the field."

"Unfortunately, I cannot…help you." Wild Dog addressed the old woman behind Richard.

Richard shifted his gaze toward her and he recognized the old woman. He remembered that she used to have pride in her hourglass figure and lascivious breasts that she showed off with minimum clothing. Time was indeed an epitome of merciless being. What used to be charm and beauty inside the woman's profound figure were sapped away in such period of time in replacement of old dried wrinkles.

"Kantaris." Richard regarded the old woman.

Their paths crossed when Richard was younger and tasked to rescue a kidnapped president's daughter in a grand hotel owned by Kantaris somewhere in French. A deranged personality of a smuggler lied beneath Kantaris' beauty and charm.

"She's the first one…to come at me…Richard. Too…bad for…you…unless you...figure out something for me…to speed up her contract."

"You bastard Wild Dog! This is not part of our agreement! Now hurry up and kill him!"

"Even after still being confined into…wheelchair, she can still…bitch. No wonder that…Kantaris Network's crews…left her already. Be smart Richard…We don't…need this hag. Unlike us…she is suffering…aging acceleration…and obsessed…to find the cure…to restore her beauty. I still…couldn't believe…how stupid I was…to sign a contract…to rob…. a beauty pharmaceutical company."

"I see. Well how about this Kantaris, hand over to me Wild Dog's contract and support my operation with your smuggling network. In return, I'll give you all VSSE's RnD assets including the secret formula which we injected into two of our newest agents. The formula provided them with superhuman speed and heightened their senses. If I am not mistaken, with a correct tweaks to the chemical structure, the formula could reverse aging and returns the youth that you are deliberately seeking. However, I cannot guarantee the full success rate of the formula but it's a good lead to your objective rather than raiding other pharmaceutical companies with no promises."

Seducing, alluring and tempting offer fortified by an acceptable rational explanation was immediately taken by the hag despite the risk. Beauty is a crime indeed. And such a lust radiating from Kantaris to restore what belonged was to relive her sin, even it meant to walk into the darkest valley without any light fear.

"All yours! Take it! Anything to restore my beauty!"

 _Too easy._ Richard was suppressing a smile. "You heard the old woman, Wild Dog…"

"KANTARIS!" she snapped on the taboo "Don't call me old woman! I am still 35 for God's sake!"

"Then problem is solved. The two of you are working for me now and take orders from me, do I make myself clear?"

"Whatever."

"Just…one thing…Richard."

"What is it?"

"What…did you do…to make VSSE…your enemy? Aren't…you are their…guardian?"

"Not anymore since that day when different argumentation leads one has to root out another."

Police sirens cut through the night, streaks of blue and red lit the room through the crashed window. The 2 bodies were at last found by the authorities that began swarming the building.

"Right about time. Wild Dog, I need your team to get us out of here!"

"Consider it done…if only you…didn't shoot my left arm!"

"Goddamnit!" Richard approached Wild Dog "Where's your phone?"

"Inside my…left pocket! Hey! Take it easy Richard!"

"Who's the contact of your backup?!"

"Double u Fang! Quick, Richard!"

Three figures making their entrances into the room with guns trained at them. Their attire symbolized order along with their demeanor presence backed by the lethal armaments on their hands to enforce the symbol of their uniforms.

"Police! Don't…"

The phrase was never meant to be finished as a bullet gutted the law enforcer through his stomach. The deliberating shot with powerful impact sent the officer flying back to the hallway, leaving a deep mark where blood oozing, gently inviting death to claim it's soul. Surprise attack is always Richard Miller's specialty. The other officer was caught off by surprise from the quick shot the ex-agent pulled. Richard quickly seized the momentum by unleashing a shot that disarmed the second police from his gun.

Richard indicating his warning at a gunpoint. "Back off and take your friend from this building!"

The petrified officer obliged and he slowly retreated. Richard kept his deadly piece trained at him until he was disappeared from the rogue agent's sight while dragging his injured partner.

"Officer down! I repeat! Officer down!"

Part of him regretted for not delivering the deliberating shot to both of the law enforcers before any one of them called for backup. Richard reminded himself, although he went rogue, he was not in the same league of degenerates like Wild Dog whose shots are meant to kill. No. Richard was not. His rule of engagement is always meant to neutralize enemies, termination only when it is necessary.

More sirens coming from outside the window, the commandeering voices of authorities resulting into the shouts of panicking civilian climbing up to the second floor marking the situation that was getting worse every second. He had to commend Nevada's police force's speed in emergency response. Perhaps one day that Richard would be giving a medal to the person in charge, shaking his hand and taking a commemorative photo as well.

If only he was still on the right path.

"NPD! You are surrounded! Drop your weapons and surrender immediately!"

Not good.

"Wild Dog, what is your unit's ETA?!"

Gunshots rang from the basement. The popping noises were distinguished as machine guns in Richard's ears.

"All units, open fire!"  
"Engaging!"  
"Man down! I repeat! Man…AAAARGHHH!"  
"Backup! We need backup, NOW!"

Lady Justice shed her tears upon the cries of agonizing defeat from her men reached her. An unsettling moment of tranquility seethed in. Richard heard sounds of boots clopping in quick, tactical unison filling the space to reveal a militia squad moving into their position. Richard readied his weapon to anticipate the new wave of intruders. Surprisingly, those men lowered their weapons upon Wild Dog's hand signal.

One of the armed men stepped inside and tending Wild Dog's injury. The others secured the perimeter while obediently waiting for a command like trained dogs.

"About time…eh, Richard?" Wild Dog snickered. "Get us all out of here, now!"

"Yes Sir!" Those men replied in unison.

* * *

 **Hope you could enjoy this little work as a substitute for Infinite Cry RE. It's been a long time since I want to write a fic to relive my childhood arcade game and I'd say Time Crisis 4 is the best. I'm going to write at least 3 chapters to see how this fic will be going. Feedback are extremely appreciated. Once again, my apologies to my Infinite Cry RE readers for putting my main fic on a hold. I'll see whether on mid November or early December I can update the story.**

 **Qin W.X**


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